First and foremost, I want to recognize that it’s been 25 years since 9/11. Our worlds changed on that fateful day, yet, as a nation, we rallied around the families that were affected most by the Twin Towers in NYC, the Pentagon in D.C., and a cornfield in Shanksville, PA. Those left behind still need support. So much tragedy then that is still difficult to process. New Yorkers are still trying to “recover.” When a little child is diagnosed with cancer, it’s tragic. Not like

Driving to Ohio yesterday was somewhat uneventful when it came to driving the same car as I had a month ago. Thankfully, my car drove as usual (I had car trouble last month on another trip to Ohio), but on the PA Turnpike, traffic for miles had to come to a screeching halt due to an accident headed Eastbound. The finish line kept moving…but arrived safely…the ultimate goal! Before heading out to pure Michigan for a BGGGW (Bowling Green Girls Gone Wild) long weekend get-togeth

A Heartfelt Reflection from Yinzer Extraordinaire, Jim W. When I mentioned in The Focused Fight that once readers reach the illuminating reflections from the village in the back of the book, you may need a tissue or two. Some people take it to heart, like Jim Wereszczynski, of Yinzer fame at The Putaway Pickleball Club. I hope you tune in to his 4-minute video on his reflection on “reading” it, or, more aptly, listening to it as an audio recording (found on Apple Music/Podcas

Writing a book is rewarding for most authors. It was the best thing for me, hands down. When a book is first published, a lot of activity goes into getting it into the hands and minds of readers across genres. Marketing can be never-ending. Perhaps “finding” new readers is quite daunting. Turning a book into an audiobook can bring new life to those who would rather drive and listen than read and turn pages. Thankfully, I did that too. It’s all personal preference. Two weeks a

Today’s post title is something I may ask a few more people in our orbit about: childhood cancer and beyond during September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2026. When I called Sister Pat Parachini this evening about a mutual friend of ours who passed away this week, I had the opportunity to ask her the question above (or answer it). From Sister Pat, pastoral care at Georgetown University Hospital for six years, starting in 1997: “One thing I wish people knew was that yo

If people ask me what a few things I “needed” to do to get through tough moments with Ryan’s cancer were, I often talked about having creative endeavors or having fulfilling hobbies. Even if there is no rough patch to “get over,” the power of community in a creative endeavor or a hobby can be life-saving. That’s not to say individual time doing either of those things isn’t good. They all are. Creating with intention, as with writing and quilting, has been the biggest contribu

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. —William James For today’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month post, I’m reaching back a couple of years to one of my favorite interviews. And who better to help us GO GOLD than someone who actually knows a thing or two about GOLD? Olympic gold medalist Dave Wottle won the 800-meter race at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich—wearing that famous golf cap! I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Dave on the cross-country course

Being a sibling to a cancer patient is quite difficult. They miss out on having their sibling and parents at home more than they ever should have to endure—and probably endure way more things than I will ever fully know. Treatments have changed, and the COVID pandemic put the kibosh on many long hospitalizations, even when a sick child has low blood counts. That was never the case for our family, though I’m happy that kids can stay home way more in today’s childhood cancer wo

As our outdoor umbrella got whisked away from its back porch umbrella stand to our rooftop, pole facing up to the sky, and broken now, that's what Childhood Cancer felt like in the fall of 1996 for our family. However, we never let it stop us from moving forward every single day. Photo journaling was a way for me to cope with all the chaos swirling around sweet two-year-old Ryan once he was diagnosed and "firmly" planted at Georgetown University Hospital for weeks and months.

September has been designated as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month since 2012. It was officially created and federally proclaimed by President Barack Obama. Even though Childhood Cancer doesn't get much federal funding for research and more, the foundations, hospitals, doctors, and nurses who care about these kids and their families make it work as best they can. As my video mentions, this is my sixth year in creating awareness of CCAM. When my son, Ryan, my hero, a 5X surviv

September 2025 of celebrating Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is in the books! I couldn't be more thrilled to chat with Brittany Ross,...

So, the honest answer is...there is no neat or fancy formula. It was a bunch of combined things that helped us balance our lives as best...

Today, it was all about friendship and how it's needed to lead a good life, especially if going through trials and tribulations. And,...

I have less than a week to round out Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Most days, I have something scheduled, except for today and...